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Landing the Second Interview

Hello Friday, it’s so nice to see you again! This week has been full of snow and other chilly things that have made making plans a little difficult. My flight home was cancelled due to the winter storm the Washington, DC region will be experiencing tonight. I’m actually thankful because the last thing I want my mom to have to do is drive in icy conditions to pick me up from the airport.

Since I’m going through a new phase of job hunting, I thought I’d share some of my “snag a job” tips. By no means am I an expert on getting a job, but I have been a job hunter and interviewee quite a few times. What I’ve learned has helped me understand people better and acknowledge important unwritten rules no one tells you about. Follow my lead!

Tips for the Big Interview

Watch out for scams: The number of “scam jobs” I’ve seen posted on every career site is incredible. If the title of the posting includes the words “entry level” or “training provided,” be very cautious. It might be legit but read the posting further for more clues on if the job is what it appears to be. For example, if you come across a title like “Entry level event planners wanted, no experience required” I can almost promise you that those “events” you’ll be planning are actually trade shows at Sam’s Club or Costco. Get your hair net and apron ready!

Landing the second interview: Getting an over-the-phone interview is hard enough, but getting an in-person interview is even harder! Prepare what you are going to say ahead of time. Have your resume ready because you will have to walk the employer through your experiences. If you stutter through this, it sounds like you aren’t prepared and that won’t land you another interview.

The in-person interview: Wahoo! You made it to this step, don’t screw it up by looking unprofessional. My mom went to an interview at our local library for a desk clerk position and the woman being interviewed ahead of her was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. This is possibly the worst outfit you could wear! Let me break down a business professional look:

Crisp blouse (white or cream are my favorites for a clean first impression)

Fitted skirt (slightly above the knee is appropriate; patterns should be kept minimal but a striped skirt in muted tones are nice)

Classic jewelry (a watch and pearl earrings is professional and says a lot about you; large hoop earrings or clanking bracelets also says a lot about you in a negative way)

Don’t look up- When you’re speaking to someone face-to-face, avoid looking up in the air when they ask you a question. You appear to be pulling answers out of the sky. Look down with your eyes and you appear contemplative.

Please leave your interviewing and job hunting tips in a comment below! Best of luck for everyone in the middle of job hunting!

9 thoughts on “Landing the Second Interview”

Gosh, I know for a fact that I’ve caught myself looking up, or to the side a lot during an interview. And the worst thing is, it’s so annoying; because as it’s happening, there is no way to have a ‘redo’. I also like the tip you gave for what type of outfits to wear. It’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you have ‘nothing to wear’, but just knowing that simple pieces are the most professional looking is a huge relief.

I have always sworn by wearing one single piece that makes me feel confident and gorgeous and it sometimes poses as a talking point to make the entire process feel more personable. I have a red and navy slim scarf that is understated enough to fly under the radar but eye-catching enough get a second glance against my usual navy and neutral interview looks! What an awesome post! Definitely a good talking point!

The scam thing is a big one! When I first started job searching, I had no idea about them and ended up going for an interview at a place where I’d have to go door-to-door working long hours and making commission – they didn’t even tell you this in the interview! Thankfully a friend informed me afterwards and I politely declined. So if something usually says, “Come work for an exciting team! No experience required! Flexible hours! Earn up to $xxx in income!” – watch out for it (unless that’s what you’re looking for, then by all means!)

Oh girl I know exactly what you’re talking about! There are so many door-to-door jobs and I had an interview for one and I figured out something was wrong when I asked specifics and they wouldn’t give me any.